ICE operation nabs seven El Paso suspects

Seven people in El Paso were among the more than 1,000 nationwide arrested in connection with multi-national gang-related criminal activity earlier this month by Homeland Security Investigations agents.

A five-week operation, Project Shadowfire, ended March 21 and led to the arrest of 1,133 people, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in press release Monday. Among them were more than 900 alleged criminal gang members, as well as others linked to drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering, officials said.

In the area, agents arrested seven suspects in El Paso, 19 in Las Cruces and 36 in Albuquerque, as well as 12 suspects in Midland and six in Alpine.

ICE officials said they could not yet release the names of those arrested, but said all of those arrested in El Paso are facing drug-related charges. Five of the seven suspects are alleged gang members with Barrio Azteca, Sureño and Gangster Disciples/Folk Nation, while the other two are associated with those gangs. All of those arrested in El Paso are U.S. citizens, officials said.

“This operation is the latest example of ICE’s ongoing efforts, begun more than a decade ago under Operation Community Shield, to target violent gang members and their associates, to eradicate the violence they inflict upon our communities and to stop the cash flow to transnational organized crime groups operating overseas,” ICE Director Sarah R. Saldaña said in a statement.

Project Shadowfire was a surge operation conducted under Operation Community Shield between Feb. 15 and March 21 where HSI special agents worked with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, officials said.

Those arrested during Project Shadowfire included 239 foreign nationals from 13 countries in Central America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. Among them were 129 individuals from Mexico.

More than 900 of the people arrested are believed to be in gangs or affiliated with gangs such as MS-13, Sureños, Norteños, Bloods and several prison-based gangs. About 1,000 of those arrested were charged with criminal offenses, with another 132 arrested for immigration violations, including some who had been previously deported.

HSI special agents also seized 150 firearms, more than 20 kilograms of narcotics and more than $70,000 under Project Shadowfire.

More than 40,000 gang-related arrests have been made under Operation Community Shield since 2005, officials said. The operation has also led to the seizure of more than 8,000 firearms.

Cindy Ramirez may be reached at 546-6151; cramirez@elpasotimes.com; @EPTCindyRamirez.